[Event "Chess.com"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2023.01.29"] [Round "13"] [White "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"] [Black "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B48"] [WhiteElo "2713"] [BlackElo "2681"] [Annotator "Rafael"] [PlyCount "98"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 {The Sicilian Taimanov is one of my favorite defenses, and I'm happy whenever I see it in elite tournaments.} 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 {A modern move and currently considered one of the most dangerous ways to face the Taimanov.} h5 $5 {[%c_effect h5;square;h5; type;Interesting;persistent;true] Only Black's eighth most popular move. Once again van Foreest lives up to his reputation as a creative player and a finder of new ideas even in well-known openings. This pawn advance is usually played only after 7...Ne5 8.Qg3.} 8. O-O-O (8. Qg3 d6 9. f4 b5 10. a3 Bb7 {with chances for both sides in Kuybokarov-Predke, Abu Dhabi 2022.}) 8... b5 9. Qg3 $146 (9. Nxc6 Qxc6 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. Rhe1 Be7 12. Bd4 b4 (12... Nf6 {is possible. }) 13. Nd5 $1 {[%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} exd5 14. Bxg7 Rh6 15. exd5 Qxd5 16. Qxd5 Bxd5 17. Bxh6 Nxh6 18. Be4 Bxe4 19. Rxe4 { with a slight advantage for White in Hakobyan-Kavutskiy, Las Vegas 2022.}) 9... Qxg3 10. hxg3 {White is usually better in this type of endgame, and I think this position is no exception. There are two breaking points that will be constant sources of concern for Black, the g4 advance and the a4 advance.} Bc5 11. g4 {Other moves are also possible.} (11. Kb1 {As I always say to my students, the Kb1 move is almost never bad after long castling.} Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Bxd4 13. Rxd4 Ne7 14. Be2 Nc6 15. Rd2 {White has a tiny advantage.}) (11. Nf5 $5 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} Bxe3+ 12. Nxe3 Nf6 13. f3 {The position is more or less equal.}) (11. Be2) 11... Bb7 12. f3 ( 12. gxh5 Nf6 {Black regains the pawn due to the threat of 13...b4 followed by capturing on e4.}) 12... g6 (12... h4 $5 {[%c_effect h4;square;h4;type; Interesting;persistent;true] This is the favorite move of the machine, which considers the position OK for Black. The move is hardly human, as the pawn seems to be abandoned to its own luck.}) 13. Nf5 (13. a4 $5 {[%c_effect a4; square;a4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] We will see this typical move in many lines. It creates weaknesses in Black's queenside and should always be considered.} b4 14. Nce2 d6 15. Kb1 Nf6 16. Bg5 $1 {[%c_effect g5;square;g5; type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} Nh7 17. Bh6 $1 {[%c_effect h6;square;h6;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] Black is under pressure since} hxg4 $2 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] fails to} 18. Bg7) 13... Bxe3+ 14. Nxe3 Ke7 15. Be2 d6 16. g5 (16. a3 Nf6 17. g5 Nd7 18. f4 f6 19. gxf6+ Nxf6 20. Bf3 {with an even position.}) 16... f6 17. f4 {A risky move, as the pawn structure will be damaged. But White tactically justifies his plan.} (17. gxf6+ Nxf6 {with an equal position.}) 17... fxg5 18. fxg5 Ne5 19. Rd4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A good move, setting up the counterplay with a2-a4.} Rd8 $6 {[%c_effect d8;square;d8;type;Inaccuracy; persistent;true] This move order is imprecise.} (19... Nc6 20. Rd2 Ne5 { may lead to move repetition and a draw, something van Foreest usually avoids.}) (19... Nf7 20. Rhd1 (20. a4 $6 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;Inaccuracy; persistent;true] Is not so good here, since the a8-rook comes into play after White captures on b5.} Nxg5) 20... Rd8 21. a4 $1 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true]} Nxg5 22. e5 Nf7 23. axb5 axb5 24. exd6+ Rxd6 25. Nxb5 Rxd4 26. Nxd4 {with a likely draw.}) 20. Rhd1 $6 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1; type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (20. a4 $1 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the correct move to exploit Black's inaccuracy.} Nc6 21. Rd2 b4 22. Ncd1 {The knight goes to h3, defending the g5-pawn, while the other knight can go to c4. White has the advantage.}) 20... h4 $6 {[%c_effect h4;square;h4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Too ambitious.} (20... Nc6 21. R4d2 Ne5 {With a probable move repetition.}) (20... Nf7 21. a4 { leads to the variation seen above.}) 21. Ng4 $6 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type; Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (21. a4 $1 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] Again this move leads to an advantage for White.} Nc6 22. R4d2 b4 (22... bxa4 23. Nc4 $1 {[%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;GreatFind; persistent;true] and the d-pawn falls.}) 23. Na2 {Black will have a hard time defending the weaknesses on the queenside.}) 21... Nc6 22. R4d2 (22. R4d3 { This move gives White additional options after} Rh5 23. e5 d5 {since now the rook can move across the third rank, either to h3 or c3.} 24. Ne4 (24. Rh3 $5 { [%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;Interesting;persistent;true]}) 24... Bc8 25. Ngf6 Rh8 26. Rc3 $5 {[%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;Interesting;persistent;true] This is a difference compared to the game.} Nxe5 27. Rc7+ Bd7 28. Nxd5+ $1 { [%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} exd5 29. Rxd5 Ke6 30. Rcc5 Nc6 31. Bg4+ Ke7 32. Rxd7+ Rxd7 33. Rxc6 Rd4 $1 {[%c_effect d4;square;d4; type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 34. Re6+ Kf7 35. c3 {with excellent compensation for the exchange.}) 22... Rh5 23. e5 d5 24. Ne4 $1 {[%c_effect e4; square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Abdusattorov shows his great tactical vision and manages to activate the knight in a creative way.} Bc8 ( 24... dxe4 {This seems to be losing for Black, but the computer finds some incredible resources.} 25. Rxd8 Nxd8 26. Nf6 {Many (if not all) humans would rule out this variation for Black here, but the machine plays along.} Rxg5 $1 { [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} (26... Nxf6 $2 { [%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} 27. exf6+ Ke8 28. Bxh5 gxh5 29. g6 {and the pawns decide the game.}) 27. Rd7+ Kf8 28. Rxd8+ Kf7 $1 { [%c_effect f7;square;f7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 29. Rxg8 e3 $1 { [%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] and the computer continues with incredible variations showing a draw.}) 25. Ngf6 $6 {[%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (25. Ngf2 $1 {[%c_effect f2; square;f2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is a difficult move and better than the one played in the game.} Rh8 (25... dxe4 26. Rxd8 Nxd8 27. Bxh5 gxh5 28. Nxe4 {White has some advantage in this unbalanced endgame.}) 26. Nd6 Nxe5 27. Nxc8+ Rxc8 28. Re1 {With good compensation for the pawn, as Black has difficulties defending the central pawns.}) 25... Rh8 26. Nxg8+ Rdxg8 27. Nf6 Rd8 28. Re1 h3 $6 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} ( 28... Nxe5 $1 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] leads to an advantage for Black:} 29. Bxb5 h3 $1 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] This move was probably missed by van Foreest.} 30. Bd3 (30. gxh3 $2 {[%c_effect h3;square;h3;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} Nf3) ( 30. Rxe5 $2 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} h2 $19) 30... h2 31. Rh1 Bb7 {with a clear advantage.}) 29. gxh3 Rxh3 30. Bg4 $6 { [%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (30. Bd3 $1 { [%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] is better.} Rdh8 (30... Kf7 $6 {[%c_effect f7;square;f7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} 31. Rf2 Kg7 32. b3 {Black has no active plan since} Rdh8 $2 {[%c_effect h8;square;h8;type; Mistake;persistent;true]} 33. Ref1 $1 {[%c_effect f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind; persistent;true]} Nxe5 {loses to} 34. Ng4 $1 {[%c_effect g4;square;g4;type; GreatFind;persistent;true] with the idea:} Nxg4 35. Rf7+ Kg8 36. Rf8+ Kg7 37. R1f7#) 31. Bxg6 Rg3 32. Nh7 $1 {[%c_effect h7;square;h7;type;GreatFind; persistent;true]} Bd7 {and the game will likely end in a draw, for instance:} 33. Rd3 Rxd3 34. Bxd3 Rg8 35. g6 Rg7 36. Nf6 Nxe5 $1 {[%c_effect e5;square;e5; type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 37. Nxd5+ Kd6 38. Nf4 Nxd3+ 39. cxd3 e5 $1 { [%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The g-pawn falls and the players can shake hands.}) 30... Rh4 31. b3 Rdh8 32. Kb2 Rh2 33. Ree2 Rxe2 34. Rxe2 a5 $1 {[%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The position is very unpleasant for White because of the weaknesses on g5 and e5. Black's move is intended to activate the bishop.} 35. a3 Ba6 36. Re1 b4 37. a4 $6 {[%c_effect a4;square;a4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (37. axb4 { Gives better drawing chances.} Nxb4 (37... axb4 {This is also possible, but in this case it's clear that the pawn exchange was helpful for White, as usually the case when defending a worse endgame.}) 38. Be2 Bxe2 39. Rxe2) 37... Nd8 $1 {[%c_effect d8;square;d8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] An excellent move. The knight heads to f7, attacking both weaknesses.} 38. Be2 $6 {[%c_effect e2; square;e2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} (38. Bf3 {is a better try, with the idea of sacrificing the bishop on d5 if the knight goes to f7.}) 38... Bxe2 39. Rxe2 Nf7 {Now the pawns fall, and the position is undefendable.} 40. c3 bxc3+ 41. Kxc3 Nxg5 42. b4 Rh3+ {The rest is easy.} 43. Kb2 axb4 44. Rc2 Nf3 45. Ng4 Nd4 46. Rc8 Rb3+ 47. Ka2 Ra3+ 48. Kb2 Rxa4 49. Nf6 b3 {A heartbreaking loss for Abdusattorov and a great victory for van Foreest, a player whose games are always entertaining.} 0-1